Lime and Hibiscus Madeleines

This classic French madeleine recipe is a favorite in my house. In fact it’s one of the first things I baked for Matt. While he refers to them as cookies, as do many others, they are actually little French butter cakes.

Cakes, cookies—whatever. I’m just happy he enjoys them as much as I do. But what’s not to like about a tiny, butter-rich cake that’s browned and crisp on the outside and soft and spongy on the inside?

For this version, I made a lime and hibiscus variation. They turned out the way I intended – bright and citrus-y in flavor with a tiny hint of floral aromatics. Nothing overwhelming, just a subtle flavoring to give these little cakes a summer boost. Of course you can skip the hibiscus and the lime for that matter, but make sure to use a high-quality butter like my favorite, Challenge Butter.

Aside from its superior flavor, I love that it’s churned from 100 percent real cream from cows in California. And just as important, it’s rbST free—in fact they were first to implement a no-rbST policy. It’s no wonder that their foward thinking and the taste has kept them in business for a 100 years and it’s the largest butter brand in the West – and is now available the rest of the country. Look for it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, it’s the box with the distinctive elk on the packaging.

For the hibiscus, I used dried hibiscus flowers and processed it to a fine grind with a coffee grinder. I purchased dried hibiscus at a Persian market, but you can also find it online at Amazon.

Once you mix the batter, make sure to bake it immediately or else the hibiscus may start to tint the batter. On the flipside, for the glaze, the finer the grind the more it will tint the glaze. Keep in mind the color deepens as it sits.

Usually I brown the butter for most madeleines, but didn’t for these because I wanted the other flavors to come through more prominently.

Lime and Hibiscus Madeleines

Ingredients

2 large eggs

2/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lime juice

2 teaspoon lime zest

2 teaspoon hibiscus

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 stick unsalted butter (10 tablespoons), melted and cooled

Glaze

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 - 4 teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon hibiscus powder

Finish

2 teaspoons grated lime zest

2 teaspoon hibiscus petal finely crushed

Instructions

Preparation: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter madeleine pan and dust with flour (use a brush, so every part of every groove is covered), invert and tap out any excess flour.

Place eggs in stand mixer bowl with a whisk attachment, beat until eggs triple in volume, about 3-4 minutes. Slowly add sugar and beat until mixture creates ribbons on the surface when the whisk is lifted, about 2 minutes. Turn off mixer and add in vanilla extract, lime juice, lime zest and hibiscus, then using a sturdy spatula fold until everything is combined. Gently fold in flour and until no streaks of flour are visible. Add in butter and fold until just combined. Fill mold 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and unmold. Cool on a wire rack.

To make glaze: Place confectioner's sugar and 2 teaspoon of lime juice in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Add more lime juice as needed to achieve desired consistency. Sprinkle in hibiscus powder and stir to combine. *Note the longer the glaze sits the deeper the color will turn. Pour 1/2 teaspoon over each cookie and finish with a small sprinkling of grated lime and chopped hibiscus petals.

Notes

For the hibiscus, I used dried hibiscus flowers and processed it to a fine grind with a coffee grinder. I purchased dried hibiscus at a Persian market, but you can also find it online at Amazon.

Once you mix the batter, make sure to bake it immediately or else the hibiscus may start to tint the batter. On the flipside, for the glaze, the finer the grind the more it will tint the glaze. Keep in mind the color deepens as it sits.

Usually I brown the butter for most madeleines, but didn't for these because I wanted the other flavors to come through more prominently.

About Naomi Robinson

Welcome to my cozy corner where baking meets random thoughts and musings. I’m a self-taught baker sharing all things sweet (and some savory—okay, and cocktails) with a whisk in one hand and a camera in the other.